This invention relates to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), the Global Positioning System (GPS), GPS receivers, and specifically to a method of detecting GPS signal tampering.
GPS signal tampering can pose a significant threat to any safety critical system by presenting it intentionally with misleading navigation information. This is achieved by transmitting a GPS-like signal or retransmitting a GPS signal that has been tampered with so that a target GPS receiver assimilates erroneous signal measurements into its navigation solution.
There are potentially many solutions, ranging widely in complexity that can protect the GPS receiver from such threats to varying degrees. Signal tampering threats have traditionally been important more for military than civilian applications, but a recent article in GPS World magazine written on the need for signal security for Hazmat transportation and civil aircraft integrity highlights a shift in the area of applicability for anti-tampering solutions. For military applications, this threat issue has been a constant component of the Modernized User Equipment (MUE) study program.
A need exists for a simple, low-cost, method of protection of GPS receivers from GPS signal tampering.